Belt guard



April 2, 1946. l c. F. FOLEY 2,397,5

` BELT GUARD Filed Febfls, 1945 Patented Apr. 2, 1946 BELT GUARD Charles F. Foley, Detroit, Mich., assigner to Eureka tVivlliams Corporation, a corporation of Michigan Application February 19, 1945, Serial Nor.- 578,746

.Olaims. (Cl. 15-8) This invention relates to belt guards for suction cleaners.

The principal object of the invention is to DIO- vide a new and improved construction for belt guards for suction cleaners.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, of which there is one sheet, which, by way of illustration, shows a preferred embodiment and the principles thereof and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying those principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview oi the appended claims.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional View of a suction cleaner embodying my invention and taken in a plane along the line l-| of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view taken generally along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the belt guard; and

Fig. 4 is a section taken along the line l-d of Fig. l.

A suction cleaner embodying the invention includes a nozzle Ill having a downwardly presented mouth l2 with a rotary agitator or brush lll mounted in the nozzle and operative for beating and/or sweeping the surface covering presented thereto through the nozzle mouth l2. A belt It driven by the motor of the cleaner cooperates with a pulley on the rotary brush it for driving the same.

' A bracket 2@ is suitably secured to the inside of the front wall 23 of the nozzle Ill, such as by means of rivets 2li, and includes a portion 26 forming a spring and a pair of parallel arms 28 forming a supporting bracket and part of a hinge or pivotal mounting for the belt guard til.

The belt guard lili comprises an arched member adapted to span the nozzle mouth below the belt l and includes an integral portion 32 forming a part of a hinge for pivotally mounting the belt guard. The end of the portion w32 is coiled as indica-ted at to receive a hinge pin it. The hinge pin .-,ii at each end is provided with trunnions iii which are rotatable in slots Ml formed in the bracket provided by arms 23. The spring 2t ei:- tends downwardly through a slot 42 in the hinge portion of the belt guard Sil and a part 43 of the hinge portion 32 inline/,with the spring 26 is `engaged by the spring 2li-for .holding the trunnions 38 of the hinge pin in the Asmaller ends of the slots 4i?.

This cooperation between the spring `2land the belt guard 3u also functions to hold theloelt guard 3l] in the position illustrated. The belt guard 3 51, however, is adapted for movement in acounterclockwise direction from that illustrated iin .Fligs. 1 and 3 approximately 90P so ,as `to permit-,the brush i4 to be removed from the cleaner. The tension of the spring 2S reacting on the belt guard se functions to hold the free end thereof in engagement with the lip M of the nozzle mouth l2.

The slots til are in the shape of a keyhole slot so as to permit the hinge pin 35 to be removed from and inserted into position between the arms .$28 of the hinge bracket. As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, the rear edge of the forward nozzle lip may project rearwardly sufficiently so that the lower end of the slotted portion l2 of the hinge will be deected during counterclockwse pivotal movement of the guard 3U and upon pivotal movement of the guard 3i] in returning to its position as illustrated in Fig. 1. This deection may occur in the slotted portion 42 or may occur by rearward shifting of the hinge pin 36 toward the enlarged portions of the slots 40 and against the resistance of the spring 2S. Because of this the rear edge of the forward nozzle lip will be in a position to cooperate with the lower end of the slotted portion 42 to posi-tion the guard 30 in a horizontal position. in the event of failure of the spring 26.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is understood that this is capable of modication and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the preoise details set forth but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations which fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

1. For a suction cleaner having a nozzle with a downwardly presented mouth and a belt driven rotary brush in said nozzle above said mouth; a belt guard device comprising a bracket fixed to a wall of said nozzle and including an integral spring member and a pair of spaced arms forming part of a hinge, a belt guard including a member positioned to span the mouth of said nozzle below and in line with said belt and having an integral portion forming a part of a hinge, a hinge pin carried by said portion and including trunnions rotatably mounted in bearing surfaces provided by said armasaid portion including a slot through which one end of said spring member extends and having a part positioned for engagement with said spring member for biasing said belt guard Y against the underside of the lip of the mouth of said nozzle. Y

2. For a suction cleaner having a nozzle with a downwardly presented mouth and a belt driven rotary brush in said nozzle above said mouth; a belt guard device comprising a bracket xed-toa wall of said nozzle and including an integral spring member and a part of a hinge, a belt guard including a member positioned to span the mouth of said nozzle below and in line withsaid belt and having an integral portion forming apart of a hinge, a hinge pin' pivotally connecting said hinge parts, said portion having a part positioned for engagement by said spring member for biasing the movable end of said belt guard against the lip of the mouth of said nozzle. Y

3. For a suction'cleaner having a nozzle with Va downwardly presented mouth and a belt driven rotary brushin said nozzle abovesaid mouth; a

Y' belt guard device Vcomprising a bracket fixed to a wall of said nozzle and including an integral spring memberY and a pair of spaced arms tormingf part of a hinge, each of said arms beingV provided with a keyhole slot, a belt guard including a pivoted member positioned to span the mouth of 'said nozzle below and in line with said belt and having an integral portion forming a part of a hinge, a hinge pin carried by said portion and including trunnions rotatably mounted in bearing surfaces provided by the smaller portions of said keyhole slots, said portion including a slot through which one end of said spring member extends and having a part positioned for engagement by said spring member for biasing the movable end of said belt guard against the lip of the mouth of said nozzle. i

4. For a suction cleaner having a nozzle with a downwardly presented mouth and a belt driven rotary brush in'said nozzle above said mouth; a belt guard device comprising a bracket fixed to a wall of said nozzle and including an integral spring member and a pair of spaced arms forming part of a hinge, each of said arms being provided with a keyhole slot, a belt guard including a pivoted member positioned to span the; mouth of said nozzle below and in line with said belt and having an integral portion Vforming a part of a hinge, a hinge pin carried by said portion and including trunnions rotatably mountedin bearing CHARLES F. FOLEY. 

